Former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was recorded urging his players to injure opponents on the eve of January's NFC Divisional Game with the San Francisco 49ers.

In the three-minute, 33-second clip posted on YouTube, Williams apparently asks players to target quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Michael Crabtree and running back Frank Gore.

He also talks about hitting the head, testing out concussions and taking out ACL's.

Audio: Saints coach calls for big hits on Niners

Reprehensible. Absolutely horrible even in the violent game that is professional football. That being said, he'll probably land on his feet. Professional coaching is the ultimate "good ole boys" network.

Regardless of whether NFL coaching is a "good ole boys network", look for the league to make a further example of Williams now. His suspension from coaching might just become permanent.

I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

The funny thing is it would seem like the Niners heard that speech instead, cause they knocked people out the game

ayetee11;733575 said:

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The funny thing is it would seem like the Niners heard that speech instead, cause they knocked people out the game

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That's what I remember. The only players getting knocked the f&@k out were Saints.

USC has been having its players do the same things for decades. They're just more careful about how they pay the bounties. And the way Oregon State's opponents' key players seem to get conveneitnly injured (including Barkley, Owosu and our own Jhavid Best), I'm all but certain that program has a bounty system, too, of some sort.

If you think these players just started picking this stuff up in the NFL, you're very naive.

Best did not get hurt because of Oregon State play. He got hurt because he hurtled himself seven feet into the air. Not right to accuse someone of dirty play when the play was not dirty or unnecessarily violent.

Are you telling me that the Beaver Assassin didn't trick Best into leaping so that he would spin out after kicking the tackler in the head?

BeachyBear;733639 said:

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And the way Oregon State's opponents' key players seem to get conveneitnly injured (including Barkley, Owosu and our own Jhavid Best), I'm all but certain that program has a bounty system, too, of some sort.

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Kevin Riley was also injured at OSU.

mdcspe69;733641 said:

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Best did not get hurt because of Oregon State play. He got hurt because he hurtled himself seven feet into the air. Not right to accuse someone of dirty play when the play was not dirty or unnecessarily violent.

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I don't have any reason to believe Best's injury was malicious, but I wouldn't blame it on him either. Best already crossed the plane of the endzone, meaning the touchdown was scored and the play was over. The OSU player just gave him a little push that made his body turn and land horribly. It didn't seem malicious or unnecessarily rough, but the defender shouldn't have made contact, so I don't blame Best.

Whether or not NFL (or college) teams have in the past had bounty programs won't be considered relevant by the NFL when it comes to determining the punishment it will impose on Williams. The fact is that Williams was caught on tape exhorting his players to injure opposing players. The NFL is trying hard to burnish its image when it comes to player safety and that means it's going to make an example of Williams. The argument "But other people did it" won't cut it coming from a guy who encouraged his players to take out an opponent's ACL..

If I were King....Commissioner of the NFL, Williams would be banned for a minimum of five years at which time he could reapply. At the moment, Williams is banned "indefinitely."

Williams can always pick up a gig at a college or university or high school. Whoever hires him at the institution needs to be indemnified. This guy is serial inciter. He is alleged to have made the same pleas at Buffalo. Sounds similar to that guy in Yemen that we wasted with a drone.

I used to think that players and teams were being overly secretive in not revealing injuries. I have changed my views. They know opposing players will target their injuries and now I don't blame them one bit for not disclosing them.

the "Blink" guy, predicted that there would be no more football within 20 years because of the injury rate. As it stands now, the life expectancy of someone who plays 5 or more years in the NFL is 59.

mdcspe69;733641 said:

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Best did not get hurt because of Oregon State play. He got hurt because he hurtled himself seven feet into the air. Not right to accuse someone of dirty play when the play was not dirty or unnecessarily violent.

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It's more than convenient that KEY players (I forgot about Riley) have had game-ending, and often season-ending injuries at the hands of Oregon State. And it's not just Cal, it's USC, it's 'Furd (and BTW that was a head-to-head hit on a guy who already had concussions... as far as I'm concerned that OSU player and his coach should be banned from football for that one)

So yes, there's more than enough evidence that OSU targets injuries and that injuring the players of opposing teams is part of their game plan. And yes, I do consider that program dirty in that respect, second only to USC in terms of malicious play with the intent of causing injury.

UrsaMajor;733684 said:

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the "Blink" guy, predicted that there would be no more football within 20 years because of the injury rate. As it stands now, the life expectancy of someone who plays 5 or more years in the NFL is 59.

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I think Gladwell based his estimate on head injuries, specifically concussions. By punishing head-hunters in the NFL and better helmets, I think football will survive. The life expectancy issue might be because of all the injections these guys receive during their playing years and pain pills they take in the years following. It has to harm your liver with all the sythetic stuff they have to take to survive.

That would be disappointing if true, since Mike Riley is the only rival Pac-12 coach I don't think of as sleazy (well, along with that depressed guy at Colorado)

Any personal injury attorneys want to chime in here?
The NFL cannot in any way seem to support this kind of activity because they open themselves up for lawsuits from injured ex players. Think Darrell Stingly.

Bobodeluxe;733567 said:

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I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

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Your faux cynicism is more of the same: you see nothing wrong with a football culture that not only condones injury, it celebrates knocking players out of the game. Moreover, it's easy to infer that you believe that any concern for player injury is nothing more than public handwringing.

Would you want nothing to be done? Do you care if football is so badly undermined that the sport becomes a mere memory in 20 or 25 years?

Or is that beneath you?

Chris culliver ‏ @Cullyinthehouse
If Gregg Williams so tuff y don’t he put on the pads n COME SEE ME instead of tellin his players to take ppl out-I’ll cullysuplex tht boy!!

GBMARIN;733725 said:

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Any personal injury attorneys want to chime in here?
The NFL cannot in any way seem to support this kind of activity because they open themselves up for lawsuits from injured ex players. Think Darrell Stingly.

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Yes. There are tons of lawsuits being filed regularly by former NFL players against the league. Because of this the Commish HAS TO slam coaches and teams for anything like a bounty program, even if the Commish does not want to. This is a point many current players and some fans are ignoring. They slam Roger G. for taking violence out of the game, yet they don't comment on the former players who are sort of forcing the commissioner's hand with their lawsuits.

Steelers linebacker, Harrison?, consistently bashes Roger G. in the media. I would love to see the guy face the former players who are suffering and then see if he would talk so tough. The commissioner is an easy target. Look the former players in the eye and see if your opinion is the same.

SchadenBear;733544 said:

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Former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was recorded urging his players to injure opponents on the eve of January's NFC Divisional Game with the San Francisco 49ers.

In the three-minute, 33-second clip posted on YouTube, Williams apparently asks players to target quarterback Alex Smith, wide receiver Michael Crabtree and running back Frank Gore.

He also talks about hitting the head, testing out concussions and taking out ACL's.

Audio: Saints coach calls for big hits on Niners

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It depends on the context of what he said. My brother plays football and he says that the coaches say similar things all the time to fire the players up.

In no way am I condoning Gregg Williams' actions; I think it is reprehensible and has no place anywhere in sports.

89Bear;733849 said:

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Yes. There are tons of lawsuits being filed regularly by former NFL players against the league. Because of this the Commish HAS TO slam coaches and teams for anything like a bounty program, even if the Commish does not want to. This is a point many current players and some fans are ignoring. They slam Roger G. for taking violence out of the game, yet they don't comment on the former players who are sort of forcing the commissioner's hand with their lawsuits.

Steelers linebacker, Harrison?, consistently bashes Roger G. in the media. I would love to see the guy face the former players who are suffering and then see if he would talk so tough. The commissioner is an easy target. Look the former players in the eye and see if your opinion is the same.

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I agree 100%.

Dark Reverie;734142 said:

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It depends on the context of what he said. My brother plays football and he says that the coaches say similar things all the time to fire the players up.

In no way am I condoning Gregg Williams' actions; I think it is reprehensible and has no place anywhere in sports.

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Concussions are serious. They can cause brain damage. The NFL knows the serious liability they face regarding such conduct.

In a three minute and thirty second soundbite Gregg Williams mentioned:
Head nine times;
Concusions three times;
ACL one time;
Ankle one time; and
Chin to the QB one time.

I think that type of locker room talk is deplorable. Some may say it's just the way it goes.

But I guarantee you Gregg Williams will never work for an NFL team ever again.